Cleanup man for Har-Ber

SPRINGDALE — It seemed like everyone believed Houston Pruitt's future was in football.

It was easy to understand. Pruitt burst onto the scene at Springdale Har-Ber in the fall of 2007, making 103 tackles as a sophomore and recording seven interceptions. By year's end, he had received a scholarship offer from Tulsa.

But Pruitt doesn't intend to play football after this season. He'll be on the baseball diamond instead. Pruitt has orally committed to play baseball for the University of Arkansas after receiving a scholarship offer from the Razorbacks earlier this year.

Pruitt, who has a 92 mph fastball and a sharp curveball, will pitch and might play in the outfield for the Razorbacks.

"I've always been a big Hogs baseball fan," said Pruitt, who is entering his senior year at Har-Ber. "When they offered, I was ready to commit right then. I was pretty surprised.

"My dad and I talked about that I might get a few baseball offers, but nothing like Arkansas. When they called me, I was real excited."

Arkansas' baseball team is getting an outstanding athlete. It also means Pruitt's football days, most likely, will end as soon as the Wildcats' season does.

He's going to miss the sport.

"It really hit me after I committed: I probably won't ever get to play football again," Pruitt said. "It's pretty sad. I'll miss everything about it."

Pruitt said the thing he'll miss most about football is hitting people, but it's doubtful that anyone who has been on the other end of those hits will miss Pruitt.

At 6-0, 185 pounds and with 4.53-second speed in the 40-yard dash, Pruitt has been a lightning bolt in Har-Ber's secondary, crashing into opponents and causing turnovers the past two seasons.

Pruitt had 96 tackles last season and again forced seven turnovers. This time he had four interceptions - opposingteams, more aware of Pruitt's presence, avoided throwing his way - and forced three fumbles.

"Our defense kind of goes as Houston goes," Har-Ber Coach Chris Wood said. "He knows this will be his last run-through in football, and he'll be wanting to make it a special year.

"He plays downhill. He tries to get the big hit. He's a knockout hitter."

Pruitt participated in the U.S. Army Combine in January in San Antonio, where he competed alongside some of the nation's top recruits. The combine is a highly prestigious event that is by invitation only.

Being selected for such an event could go to a player's head, but Pruitt hasn't let the accolades go to his head, something both he and Wood credit to his parents, Tim and Debbie.

"They shoot him straight," Wood said. "They don't give him a false sense of reality. That honesty helps you.

"We push him to the limits, and he doesn't take it personal. He knows when we get on him on the football field, we're trying to make him better. That goes back to his family."

In recent years, Wood has increasingly seen talented high-school athletes pressured to specialize in one sport in the hopes of earning a college scholarship. Pruitt is proof that students don't need to sacrifice their athletic experience, Wood said.

"One of the biggest things I deal with is everybody thinking they need to specialize insports," Wood said. "Houston is an example that you can have an outstanding football career and an outstanding baseball career. You don't have to be a one-sport star to get a scholarship."

Pruitt will become a onesport athlete when the football season ends, but he's trying not to think about that right now. He just wants to finish out his high school days with a state championship or two.

He's been close in the past. Har-Ber lost in the Class 7A football and baseball championship games during Pruitt's sophomore season.

Pruitt said he believes the Wildcats have what it takes to earn the football title in the state's largest classification.

"I know that we have the tools, that if we go out there and play our best, we'll be good," Pruitt said. "We've got a lot of returning guys, a lot of experience. We've jelled together, and we know what we're doing.

"We love to hit, all of us."

Springdale Har-Ber Wildcats

COACH Chris Wood

LAST SEASON 10-3

OFFENSE Spread

DEFENSE Odd stack

RETURNING STARTERS Offense 7, defense 5

POINTS SCORED PER GAME 28.6

POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME 13.6

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH Ryan Luther (5-11, 175, QB, Jr.), Tre Tyler (5-9, 190, RB, Sr.), Daniel Garcia (6-1, 255, G, Jr.), Kaleb Vaughn (6-1, 175, WR, Sr.)

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH Eric Pearce (6-2, 263, NG, Sr.), Jacob Bundrick (6-1, 210, LB, Sr.), Russ Reynerson (5-8, 155, CB, Sr.), Houston Pruitt (6-0, 185, FS, Sr.)

KEEP AN EYE ON Josh McKinney. Few players improved more over the course of last season than Josh McKinney, 6-2, 200, who wound up leading the Wildcats with 46 receptions for 1,009 yards, an average of 21.9 yards per catch. "He's real smooth in his routes," Wood said. "He's not a pure speed guy, but once he gets to full speed, he's tough to deal with. He just catches everything."

OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK Wood's teams are known for their ability to gobble up yards quickly, and with several talented wideouts on the roster, Har-Ber should have success throwing the ball downfield again. Lessproven is the line, which starts four juniors. The coaches are working hard to improve the line's pass blocking. "Our goal coming in is to get as many touches to our playmakers as we can," Wood said. "Over the summer, our deep ball got a lot better."

DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK Pearce is a rock in the middle of the line, but much of the Wildcats' defensive strength is at linebacker and in the secondary. Bundrick and Pruitt were both standouts last year. "It all starts with our returning starters," Wood said. "Pearce is a strong kid. You're going to have to doubleteam him."

SEASON OUTLOOK Three years into varsity play, Har-Ber appears to be establishing itself as one of the elite programs in Class 7A. The Wildcats have won 10 games in consecutive years, and they could do it again this season. If Har-Ber plays up to its potential, it could contend for the state title.

KEY GAME Oct. 2 vs. Fort Smith Northside. The Wildcats have beaten everyone in the 7AWest except the Grizzlies, against whom they are 0-3. Northside handed Har-Ber its only conference loss in 2007 and then won 21-7 last year. The Grizzlies' speed and athleticism make for a tough matchup for the Wildcats.

QUOTING COACH WOOD "We're a faster team.We're not the fastest in this league, but we like what we have out there."

SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT Sept. 4 Greenwood Sept. 11 at Alma Sept. 18 at Coweta, Okla. Sept. 25 at Springdale* Oct. 2 Fort Smith Northside* Oct. 9 at Rogers* Oct. 16 at Rogers Heritage* Oct. 23 Fort Smith Southside* Oct. 30 Fayetteville* Nov. 6 at Bentonville* *Conference game